Sunday Afternoon In Woodbridge

The good news is that the Potomac Nationals figured out a way to beat the Frederick Keys. After losing 6-2 last night and 4-0 on Friday, this afternoon’s 5-2 win over Frederick prevented a three-game sweep and kept the P-Nats within striking distance for the second-half title.

The bad news is that they’re going to have to do it with Danny Rosenbaum. Or at least, they should have to do without him.

That’s because the 23-year-old has shown that he’s ready for the next level. After a rocky first inning — two runs on three hits and a walk — Rosenbaum did more than just settle down. He no-hit the Keys for the next seven innings, allowing just two baserunners (hit by pitch in the 3rd, walk in the 4th) while finishing with a season-high 11 strikeouts.

The curve has been an unreliable weapon for Rosenbaum in 2011, but this afternoon, he had it working. Seven of the 11Ks were called third strikes, including veterans with AA experience like Miguel Abreu and Dale Mollenhauer. Considering that this is the fourth straight start where he’s fanned seven or more while going eight, nine, six and eight innings, it’s both safe and fair to say that he has earned the chance to test his mettle at the next level.

Potomac would erase the 2-0 Frederick lead in the 2nd with three runs on three hits, with a two-run shot by Sandy Leon tying the game and Francisco Soriano’s two-out, bases-loaded walk scoring the go-ahead run.

The five-run output would seem to indicate an improvement from the night before, but the P-Nats were only slightly better with runners in scoring position: 2-for-10 vs. 2-for-12 and actually left on one more baserunner. It’s tempting to chalk that up to walks because they played a part in the three-run 2nd, but the Keys pitchers actually walked two fewer today than yesterday.

Potomac would strand five base runners from the 3rd to the 6th inning before breaking through in the 7th. Destin Hood stroked an opposite field single to right and stole second. After Justin Bloxom flew out, Steve Souza tapped to the mound and Hood got caught in a rundown between second and third. Souza aggressively took second to set up Sandy Leon for another RBI chance and the backstop delivered with a single to right to extend the lead to 4-2.

Jose Lozada doubled and came around to score in the bottom of the 8th when Hood redeemed his baserunning gaffe with an RBI single to center for the fifth and final Potomac run. Hector Nelo came on to pitch the 9th, allowing a one-out single but getting the three outs necessary for his 14th save.

With the win, Potomac returns to a three-game deficit behind Frederick with a 21-15 mark in the second half. They return to action on Tuesday against the Salem Red Sox, with newly acquired SS Zach Walters expected to join the team.

UPDATE: A reliable source tells me that Rosenbaum has been promoted to Harrisburg, swapping places with Erik Davis on the Senators roster. Will have a separate post when the move is officially announced.